Setting the table for romance: Find new ways to serve your sweetie

Julie Kaiser

Sunday

Jan 25, 2009 at 12:01 AMJan 25, 2009 at 6:02 PM

Have a romantic occasion on the schedule but no budget for an expensive night out on the town? With a little creativity, you can transform your breakfast nook or dining room into an elegant table for two without overspending or overstressing.

Have a romantic occasion on the schedule but no budget for an expensive night out on the town?

With a little creativity, you can transform your breakfast nook or dining room into an elegant table for two without overspending or overstressing.

Once you finalize your menu — and simple is best — start with an open mind regarding the table décor. You may already have some fabulous table accessories upstairs in the attic.

Tom and Marilyn Kushak of The Widow at Windsor in Springfield, Ill., often hear from people who recognize something in their antiques store that they tucked away and forgot about at home.

“Almost everyone has a family heirloom,” Tom Kushak says. “It may be a beautiful, romantic sterling candle holder, engraved monogrammed napkin rings or possibly an old, ornate silver serving spoon. These items bring back special memories and add a feeling of ambiance you may not experience anywhere else.”

Marilyn Kushak suggests dining by the flicker of a vintage oil lamp. “Or to add a special romantic touch, serve your wine from an old crystal decanter,” she says.

“Use interesting plates or dishes that have unusual shapes, patterns or colors,” Randy Vereen said. He’s retired from the state but has pursued his passion for cooking (and catering) on the side ever since his college days.

“You can go to T.J. Maxx or Target and pick up two place settings. Maybe they are nothing more than square black or red plates for color. But they are different from your day-to-day dishes,” he said.

Vereen uses charger plates — plates that sit underneath the food plate — with placemats. He also recommends using cloth napkins to upgrade the at-home dining experience. Just don’t fret about displaying the napkins.

“Just roll the napkin up and tie it with a piece of ribbon or a piece of raffia,” Vereen says. “You don’t have to have fancy napkin rings.”

Tamara Burris of Tamara L. Burris Interior Designs in Williamsville, Ill., recommends looking at your dining area with an eye for simple but colorful accents. Once, she took a huge, cut-crystal vase and filled it full of candy red hots. Then she arranged flowers to peek out of the top.

Or, you can embellish the dining chairs with a doily rolled into a cone shape, hung over the back by a ribbon and filled with candies or sweet treats.

“You can also take those doilies and place them on each place setting or in the wine glasses,” Burris said. “Whenever I set a table, whether I’m using them or not, I always use three or four glasses just for the effect.”

Edible centerpieces also offer a “wow” effect with minimal effort. Vereen suggests using items you can turn around and use later, including a centerpiece made out of breadsticks and cheeses. He’s also seen a centerpiece made out of flatbreads with dried fruits.

“You don’t have to go out and buy an arrangement of flowers,” he says. “You could make a simple centerpiece with a loaf of bread and a bottle of wine.”

Every detail can add or detract from the overall experience, so think about the atmosphere you’re creating. That includes turning the lights down and using candles to soften the dining area.

Vereen encourages people to choose their background sounds carefully.

“Turn off the television,” he says. “Appropriate background music can help, but it should clearly be in the background. I think instrumental (music) is usually a better choice than vocal music for this purpose.”

Simple also is best when it comes to debuting dessert at the end of the meal. Vereen keeps a shaker of ground chocolate to dust the plate and a shaker of powdered sugar to sprinkle over the dessert. And he always keeps raspberries handy for the finishing touch.

“If you want to make a dessert look nice or elegant, two or three raspberries will do the trick without breaking the bank,” he says. “You can make it pretty nice.”

State Journal-Register

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